[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6491975,"mediaKeyId","5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0","parentId",5587022,"title","Sayville auditors report low overall risk; recommend extra-classroom signature controls, updated maintenance documentation","audioSeconds",620,"startMs",85000,"endMs",705000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0&start=85&end=705","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0/thumbnail_85000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6491975/New-York/Sayville-auditors-report-low-overall-risk-recommend-extra-classroom-signature-controls-updated-maintenance-documentation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491975-425bf047386f23edd1dc9a20eaab2bd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583140&Signature=Qs5oL2YL4CW6sMlPS-WzaLoyy9ACV-VTx5K490r6fXP4ahiSM004Gxp1cm4CV7S1OvpcmZprDiZ3gGPGJKFGSY53q5IqTvkL79ySDYDr4KrZ4Sbe8qMNp3eW3TNARZ9pVui7bnfZc8i3TjOy3Q0X~6c2urUOe3HIcotV2P-zX7iQ86iaYXwH3RNjn-eBWzHc8xA~KsgdZXQU-j-8v6kO5LfZI8V9pFF4JHs2bIOVxcJiDAdI1x~u-Dnrpwj46z5QO7ht8Nr25sEvJBVv75angmHr5ofY30TOsMVy7Xfigsi-YWd2hfhIq~atx9xH5vc8mef0UMhySQ~8CMRBTftZhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","SAYVILLE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-08-01T00:48:18.557Z","article","Mary Anne Van Dyne, the partner on the district’s internal audit engagement, told the Sayville Board of Education that the auditors’ annual risk assessment updated 25 of 27 control areas to “low” but identified two areas needing attention: extra‑classroom activity funds and state grant budget adjustments.

“25 out of 27 were assessed as low,” Van Dyne said. She said testing of extra‑classroom activities — student clubs and similar funds — found three of 10 receipts lacking evidence of student treasurer sign‑offs and three cash disbursements without evidence that sales tax had been paid, which the auditors assessed as a moderate control risk.

The auditors also reviewed prior‑year recommendations and reported the district had implemented virtually all items except one grant‑related recommendation. Van Dyne said the district had not completed an amendment to its budget as of the time of testing for two state grants (one for about $20,000 and one for about $1,800), putting those grants at risk until the State Education Department approved a budget adjustment.

“It was the status as of the time we did this testing,” Van Dyne said of the grant issue, adding district staff were working to request an amendment from the state.

In a separate, related presentation, auditors reviewed facilities maintenance and capital projects. The team tested 25 capital disbursements, change‑order approvals and contract administration documentation; no exceptions were noted on those tests. Auditors verified required certificates of insurance, architect approvals, prevailing‑wage documentation and SA‑77 final building project filings used to obtain state aid were in place and timely.

The facilities review did identify two documentation gaps the auditors recommended the district address: (1) formal, written documentation of the district’s preventive‑maintenance procedures as required by Board Policy 7100, and (2) an update to the district’s comprehensive maintenance plan, which the auditors noted was last dated July 2020. Van Dyne said district staff reported they had been working in recent months to update practices and records.

Auditors also found several repair‑and‑maintenance expenditures that should have been capitalized but were omitted from the capital‑asset records; they said the district is in the process of updating its capital asset inventory to include the omitted items.

Board members asked timing and implementation questions during and after the presentations. When one board member asked when the report had been prepared, Van Dyne said the risk assessment reflected testing “as of 12/31/2024.”

The board approved the audit‑committee minutes as presented later in the meeting and moved on to business‑section items.

Why it matters: The internal audit findings show broad control strength across the district’s financial and operational processes while highlighting specific, actionable gaps that could affect grant eligibility, compliance with tax rules on extra‑classroom activities and the accuracy of capital‑asset records. The facilities recommendations, if implemented, protect state aid flows and help prioritize maintenance spending to avoid costlier capital work in the future.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sayville BOE Business Meeting July 29, 2025 at 5:30PM Administration","oneSentenceSummary","Mary Anne Van Dyne, the partner on the district’s internal audit engagement, told the Sayville Board of Education that the auditors’ annual risk assessment updated 25 of 27 control areas to “low” but identified two areas needing attention: extra‑classroom activity funds and state grant budget adjustments.","taxTitle","SAYVILLE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",40139,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6491966,"Sayville board discusses new NYS cell‑phone ban and district email restrictions; administrators plan phased rollouts and follow‑ups",279,2045000,2324000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0&start=2045&end=2324","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0/thumbnail_2045000.jpg","/articles/6491966/New-York/Sayville-board-discusses-new-NYS-cellphone-ban-and-district-email-restrictions-administrators-plan-phased-rollouts-and-followups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491966-0ea5f1c0aeb0dc46b4b99ac638cac94c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583140&Signature=oTUr11gMyR1~4gSiVRtRUBNlSMHws6jLYiONXUz~TTwYXSNILi10iUjCb497wDselTMvNpXStuRjM~G8t5wS2DsAcEumMpXedSTW2VKMX~Ud3X3q8rRhsXlyW63CEov80uvx-br0F07-tNXIXwDvDx74GFxbjMHykIW5kH2HanoQbCb-xTYX2qD9OEncuR2R6rqIKm0wIFqywIPa1Yj6E3Jsi5QPREaYrUro9e9lUGS3OHGEFiuFkEkuQFfTv2D6WA8RaT2RLX~g1IueY0OugUkOIItf-8FmiTy4hy17wk9IFGRtRUodV0OFA5dLIHgAMAGz8OfQHBmNhA9hOMtzvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sayville Board and district administrators spent a substantial portion of the meeting on implementing New York State’s mandated bell‑to‑bell cell‑phone policy and a recently tightened district rule limiting external email traffic to student accounts.

District administrators told the board they had drafted FAQs and a public communication plan and planned high‑school “locker days” in August to practice locker use before school begins. Amy, the administrator leading the rollout, said the high school will also use locker upgrades and an enclosed security booth to secure confiscated phones on repeat offenses.

“We recognize that the policy will particularly compel high‑school students to use their lockers when this has not been a standard practice in the past,” Amy said, and administrators plan a transition period with further review by December.

Board members and parents pressed administrators on practical logistics: many students do not regularly use lockers, transition time between classes may be short, and some families need timely communication about last‑minute schedule or practice changes. One parent said sports changes and late‑day location shifts make reliable parent‑to‑student messages essential.

Administrators said two of the main alternative approaches considered were purchased locking pouches (a commercial “Yondr”‑style solution) and a staffed collection point or “coat‑check” model. The state provided an initial allocation the district estimated at about $13,000; administrators said the pouch option would cost roughly $27,000 and would not be fully covered by the state allocation.

Separately, district technology staff have restricted external email traffic to student accounts to reduce security risks and phishing exposure. Administrators said they have white‑listed entire college EDU domains and specific research partner addresses to permit school‑related external exchanges. But white‑listing creates an all‑student permission for the whitelisted sender, which administrators said requires careful vetting.

Parents and some board members urged a case‑by‑case mechanism that would allow a parent’s address to communicate with a single student (for example, for last‑minute pickup) without opening email access district‑wide. District technology staff said such a per‑student, per‑sender allowance is technically possible but would require additional build‑out and review to meet data‑privacy and security requirements; the technology director will research options and report back.

Administrators also said they would check ParentSquare and StudentSquare settings (digest vs. instant delivery) to ensure coaches and staff send time‑sensitive items as instant messages so parents and students receive them promptly.

Why it matters: The state cell‑phone mandate touches classroom routines, student privacy and family communications. The district’s email restrictions are designed to improve cybersecurity but present practical challenges for parents and students who need timely information. Administrators plan additional technical work and a phased rollout, and they told the board they will revisit implementation after initial weeks of the school year.","Sayville administrators outlined plans to implement New York State’s bell‑to‑bell cell‑phone ban and described a district restriction on external student email, while parents and board members pressed for reliable ways to communicate last‑minute schedule changes.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6491970,"Sayville officials outline $2.5 million shortfall; superintendent and business official urge caution on adding staff",107,1568000,1675000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0&start=1568&end=1675","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0/thumbnail_1568000.jpg","/articles/6491970/New-York/Sayville-officials-outline-25-million-shortfall-superintendent-and-business-official-urge-caution-on-adding-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491970-48c9f3ddc81f25be08c3f587f302c708/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583140&Signature=XkfIA7DoPTuDkby7vVbeZDmtiUFQ5Eava6enANOTjmqE2P83CbtGGOgXfNsZWgnodg0sSHpHSWtffZH1xq9cDfpbbJ1KEbnHYjOYnmsCqSU4UE7GpbPKPiHarHQ63Lb1a7hrCaMZiVSqsHAsMIuv8wLtJoKt~WSOC-8o8P3M1cNqRDVTdR2DnJYACXxLHy~hVRteuh14OO~UqJqUVIPet6ChN-rkkh2SjAq2mHwaiH-zYYQCnLhxSR83~9hEJTkRBJvjyhVS~XI0CJBgWBxOkPp2HlzlrXiuyE4WJ7AJeOLCKVaDEfcdpDpMpCH1kPP-bkUaNX9rcdfFz93spxa4Yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Dr. Farris and district finance staff told the board that the district ended fiscal year 2024–25 with a substantial fund‑balance hit and that the budget for 2025–26 contains little contingency.

“We spent 2 and a half million more than we generated in revenue,” the business office noted in presenting an initial review of the district’s finances. The board’s financial review said the district is relying heavily on reserve funds and must either increase revenues or reduce spending to avoid deeper reserve depletion.

The business official told the board the 2025–26 adopted budget is “tight” with little contingency for additional staffing or unplanned costs. Officials discussed possible mitigation steps under consideration: consolidating a transportation bus and some private‑school routes, pursuing energy‑performance measures (an energy performance contract and forthcoming solar installation were cited), and pursuing increases in expense‑driven state aid such as BOCES and transportation aid.

Because of the projected shortfall and other uncertainties — including a possible 5–10% increase in health‑insurance premiums — the business official said he could not recommend adding additional staff at this time.

During discussion, board members argued for continued attention to early grades and math support. Superintendent Farris recounted the district’s recent elementary math intervention staffing history: three math AIS teachers three years ago, increased to four and then six (two per building), and a later reduction; current staffing was described as equivalent to roughly 1.7 full‑time equivalents per elementary building, with reallocation of duties creating an operational equivalency closer to about 1.9 FTE in practice.

“We want to monitor this. We want to look at the data over the course of the year,” Farris said, adding the district will reassess staffing as enrollment and student‑outcome data emerge and will report back to the board in late August.

Why it matters: The district’s multi‑million‑dollar operating shortfall and a tight budget year put pressure on program restorations and staffing additions. Board members asked administrators to pursue both cost savings and targeted program reallocation to protect high‑priority interventions for young students.","Superintendent Dr. Farris and finance staff told the board the district ran a roughly $2.5 million shortfall for FY2024–25 and the 2025–26 budget is tight; the business official recommended against adding staff now and outlined measures including transportation consolidation and an energy performance contract to reduce costs.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6491960,"Sayville board authorizes president to send letter to Islip planning board on Island Hills proposal after large public hearing",200,2760000,2960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0&start=2760&end=2960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5587022-9159834b1dcc521a69dd24876f54aad0/thumbnail_2760000.jpg","/articles/6491960/New-York/Sayville-board-authorizes-president-to-send-letter-to-Islip-planning-board-on-Island-Hills-proposal-after-large-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491960-305d6a8a700abb6b715ef87227ff18b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583140&Signature=FQ1dJNHsgH7ytVNaPQFcbauvGja7GEn8Eq3NXnviAUY8V60-l3Tr4DHznj6z4PX-XdSOMwVqYmx6W6yfn10NMxLK8kqrL-0v2ipI1jPbcXWtVI506hOYOJ~WzCSsZTASnRTUNyCCMZairsDYEsxAZ7Vdo5TDtWBlaaAy5MhN4hdmm0xY4kbBZq9vMzaGBazrir9IIck3cyOEpO~jsW~~N3p7qzH7TStCTorORwiD-dkTp8IW7~bCTUJ7goJPg0DavTWt3VnwizcuATZJZTflN9Tlay5vM65V2p~Xt47rk8RorqpjG5xxLW0uRBH5Xx-jXD2Uab9fLN~FGTG2nUH7jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sayville Board of Education voted to authorize the board president to draft and send a letter on behalf of the district to the Town of Islip regarding the Island Hills (South Bay Village) development application after trustees and residents reported a lengthy, highly attended planning‑board presentation on July 16.

Board members who attended the planning‑board meeting described an evening with about 500 attendees and roughly 100 speakers; the Planning Board opened a 30‑day public comment period that began on July 16. The developer’s new application proposes 890 units in total, the board discussed: 314 age‑restricted units (55+), 143 single‑family homes identified as age‑restricted, and 576 apartments (of which 173 would be age‑restricted and a 10% workforce set‑aside was described). The applicant’s materials also include plans for a sewer treatment component and, in this revised proposal, a fire substation.

Trustees said the meeting generated widespread community concern about traffic, emergency‑response times and infrastructure impacts. Board members commended the Town of Islip planning board for asking pointed legal and zoning questions of the developer during the hearing.

“...it was standing room only,” one board member said. Trustees agreed the board should submit a letter focused on district‑relevant concerns — traffic and emergency‑response impacts in particular — and encouraged community members to file their own comments with the planning board during the public‑comment period.

The board passed a motion authorizing the board president to draft and execute the letter and directed the district clerk to send it to the Town of Islip Planning Board. Trustees said any letter would emphasize impacts on district infrastructure and public‑safety response times and would not substitute for individual community members submitting comments.

Why it matters: A large residential development near school boundaries could affect traffic patterns, response times for police and emergency services, and potentially student enrollment. The district’s letter will register official concerns with the municipal planning board and guide residents on how to submit their own comments to the public record.","Board members who attended the July 16 planning‑board presentation on the Island Hills/South Bay Village project described a lengthy, well‑attended hearing and authorized the board president to send a letter to the Town of Islip outlining district concerns, particularly traffic and emergency response implications.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sayville auditors report low overall risk; recommend extra-classroom signature controls, updated maintenance documentation

Sayville board discusses new NYS cell‑phone ban and district email restrictions; administrators plan phased rollouts and follow‑ups

Sayville officials outline $2.5 million shortfall; superintendent and business official urge caution on adding staff

Sayville board authorizes president to send letter to Islip planning board on Island Hills proposal after large public hearing